Radio On returning to FF roots

By Trisha Marczak | The Daily Journal

Published Monday, May 5, 2008

While most young bands start out in the garage, musicians from the Minneapolis-based band, Radio On — Dan Olson, Ryan Carlson and Justin Retzlaff — began their music careers rehearsing in the wooded areas of Fergus Falls.

That was during their school days at Fergus Falls High School. Now living in Minneapolis and performing throughout the country, they’ve come a long way from their rugged roots.

After graduation, their band began to grow. With the help of two female vocalists; Amanda Ellig and Berit Olson, and a temporary drummer, their band, Radio On, made their mark on the local music scene. Two years later, the band moved down to Minneapolis, where they met drummer; Pete Jelsma, and guitarist; Martin Mueller.

During the past two years, Radio On has taken their act national, touring in Cincinnati, Pennsylvania, Chicago and Iowa. Their most faithful followers reside in Minneapolis. The band’s residency position at Minneapolis hotspot 400 Club—which has hosted the likes of R.E.M.— has provided a venue where college kids and city types alike can catch their act every week.

Olson describes their music as, “reminiscent of the late 60’s with an early 70s feel —and a little theater.”

They’v recently hired Fergus Falls native, Carl Carpenter, as their booking manager. Carpenter, who just returned from an internship with an English booking company, is taking hold of the promotion and scheduling duties for the band. They’re expecting a big summer, with shows and festivals throughout Minnesota, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

But before they head out for the season, they’ll perform for friends and family in Fergus Falls.

“We heard Center for the Arts has amazing acoustics and there are alot of people in town that we don’t get to see much,” Olson said. “We thought it would be fun to bring it back to the hometown before we hit the road this summer.”

Beyond the summer, the band hopes to expand their following and secure a European tour. They would also like to turn their passion into a career, where going to work everyday will mean doing what they love; writing and performing music. To date, they have released two albums; Stallion’s Final Romance and The Lovespread.

Radio On can be seen at A Center for the Arts on May 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $7 in advance for adults, $10 at the door. Student tickets are $5.